I agree the MTHFR test would be a waste of money, especially if you had to pay for it out of pocket. My insurance covered the test so I didn't really have to pay for anything aside from the doctor visit. I guess if you were really curious about whether you had the gene mutation or not, it might be worth it to get the test.

Yeah don't think I need to do it for now, but might down the track. I know my methylation is stuffed up from the reactions I get from taking the methyl supps. I think i'll just start on DMSA soon and pray i tolerate it!

Well, it's all confusing because everything makes me worse anyway, and doing nothing also makes me worse. Big catch 22. Ive really done some reading last few days, and most people on most forums say DMPS is worse than DMSA, so confusing yet again! I have DMSA here but its super low dose - troches at 9mg each. I will cut it into 9 peices and take 1mg at a time. Even that will tell me if I tolerate or not. If i do great.

Most people don't have the severe gut issues I do, and thats the biggest difference between me and others. No one can work that part out, yet its the most significant part.

Re DMPS. Remember when considering a person's experience with a chelator it is critical to know what dosing protocol they were using. Many of the worst experiences with DMPS have been with high dose IV. dmpsbackfire.com has many reports.

In Frequent Dose Chelation group--3000 members/ 1700 posts/month--DMPS is very clearly better tolerated in very sick people like you who have gut problems. Of course FDC group provides support for those using Cutler's protocol. These people are typically taking 10mg doses of DMPS every 6 or 8 hours along with grams of vitamin c, some vit E, Mg , Zn etc.

Eventually you'd add ALA to help pull Hg and As out of organs and the brain. Most of the ALA will go out via bile but I understand you have problems there. However since you'd also be using DMPS, it can also go out via urine. That is one of the nice aspects of Cutler's system.

Oh right! I was under the impression (probably haven't been on the forums enough or read enough of the Cutler protocol info) that low dose DMSA was used much more often than DMPS.

I will check more into the full program. what I basically knew was small frequent doses of DMSA and then C, E & minerals frequently too, then later on down the track add ALA. Now I just have to find low dose DMPS! Thanks.

You are correct that DMSA is more commonly used along with ALA in the Cutler protocol, but that is due mostly to better cost and availability. However with people who are very sick and have nasty candida problems, DMPS is almost always preferred if available.

DMPS, like DMSA, will take the HMs out mostly via urine, bypassing your messed up bile flow.

Although I've used DMSA + ALA with good results for my lead problem, I took a close female friend to a doctor who is familiar with Cutler. I knew she was a much better fit for DMPS due to her poor sleep, previous candida outbreaks and sensitive nature. I paid the doctor bill and for the first bottle of DMPS even though I had plenty of DMSA in my refrigerator. After she started getting gains she was happy to pay for additional bottles.

Fortunately we have a few different detox tools in our toolbox. We just need to make informed decisions about what to use and how to use them.

Sypher - Next time don't wait so long to post an update! :)
I personally was worried that you hadn't posted in so long! Especially with the tone of your last post. So let us know how you are doing because you have friends here!

I have/am going through practically everything you are. I am terribly ill as well, completely bedridden. I understand trying everything to heal. I had a hole in my stomach for liquid elemental nutrition and couldn't even tolerate that for nutrients. I have severe candida, CFS, adrenal insufficiency, leaky gut, and muscle/fat wasting from a parasitic infection (went undiagnosed) that is now disseminated/hyperinfection. I did test positive for toxoplasmosis and trichinella, blastocystis hominisx and salmonella. I've been left to treat myself. :'( Doctors don't know what to do.

Also I feel like I should mention something my doctor told me. My doctor said that in his experience almost all of the Chronic-Fatigue-Syndrome patients that walk through his doors have heavy metal issues. His nurses all re-emphasized that point to me. And honestly, I've noticed huge improvements in my health since I started my copper detox.

I think Chronic-Fatigue-Syndrome is multifaceted - and there are definitely other components like candida, viruses, leaky gut, methylation, allergies, diet, etc. But trying to balance my mineral levels and detox copper have been huge for me.

Do you know of any doctors that do chelation in your area? Someone that you could just call up and have a discussion? Maybe the dentist that removed your fillings could suggest someone?

" I've heard that it isn't good to chelate if bile isn't flowing, like mine isn't. That the chelator will just move metals around the body because they cant be eliminated by the detox channels..."

That is one reason why I suggested the use of DMPS. It sends toxins into urine. It tends to be the best tolerated of the common dithiols for mercury. While I think it is best to work with a doctor, in a pinch, some have used Detoxitab with very few negative reports.

I just want to say that I have read your stories and you are an inspiration to all of us. No matter how bad you are you keep fighting and still are poised to get better, when many people would just give in and feel sorry for themselves.

Heavy metals is CERTAINLY at the root of your issues. But your gut and bile flow is so weak also...and it's so difficult to detox and remove metals when that is occuring. But all of this you already know. I am sure you will find a way to get the metals out, and get your bile and detox channels working again. Have you considered an infrared sauna? Or is it also impossible to sweat with the sodium issues that go along with adrenal insufficiency. Once the gut heals and intestinal infections go away...the body has enough to heal on its own at that point. But without chelation this will be very hard to do. I speak from experience.

My adrenals are currently having real trouble after all of these years of abuse my body has faced. Without working adrenals I find even the simplest task impossible. I can't even imagine how bad you feel with your adrenals since they are totally insufficient.

KEEP FIGHTING!!! You have no idea what kind of further inspiration you will be to all of the other sufferers on this forum once you get better.

Thanks, I am extremely determined. I have been for years, despite keeping on getting worse. I want to live more than seems possible, but what else do we have?

Thanks, I agree. Especially seeing I feel dreadfully ill off even a tiny dose of Zeolite or ALA. I had a FIR (Far-Infrared-Sauna) sauna but it made my whole nervous system shake for 6-8 hours after a session.

That's the thing.. 'once the gut heals' - i feel like ive tried everything I can and the gut just keeps getting worse. Im not sure if there will be a 'when the gut heals' or get rid of the infections (no herbs tolerated) unless i find something out I don't already know. I cannot do any diet similar to gaps with meat fat and bone broths.

They are, it's all external cortisol for me now, I have to make do with that no matter how bad it is or that it's 99% probably contributing to making me worse because my body cant process it properly.

For me I found that no matter what I did my gut wouldn't heal...but would only get worse. Only after I chelated for about 11 months did my gut start to heal on its own. It's so strange. It's a catch 22. But I chelated with a rreally really messed up gut. I did saunas and coffee enemas very frequently during that period....so I guess that helped. It was hard to tolerate for me after a certain period...but now I realize that my adrenals were getting weaker and weaker and that was why. But the weaker my adrenals got and the weaker I felt...the more stuff I did to stimulate myself...until I completely crashed. So that's probably another reason why you can't tolerate saunas and coffee enemas now.

But you have a certain fighting passion to you...and positive outlook. I did too...but When my adrenals crashed, so did my positive attitude. But you maintain it, and I admire you for that. Just amazing.